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SMITH COUNTY – A Smith County man is lucky to be alive after his car crashed into Lake Palestine while he was texting and driving. Joseph Van, 41, of Flint was headed north on Farm Road 346 when the vehicle went off the west side of the road. He over corrected, crossing the road and over the east guardrail and into the lake. Two persons in a boat helped him get to safety. The accident happened around 4:00 Tuesday afternoon.

TYLER – A Wood County man, in Tyler federal court, has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. Travis E. Grindle, 65, of Mineola, entered his plea Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. Prosecutors say Grindle, retired as a brakeman from Union Pacific Railroad and since 1994, has been receiving federal disability payments from the Railroad Retirement Board. Recipients of such government benefits are obligated to report certain events that may affect continued eligibility. This includes the performing of any work or improvement of condition. For four years, Grindle failed to report that income from his truck leasing business exceeded annual earning limits for receipt of his disability benefits. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

EAST TEXAS – The Smith County Commissioners Court has voted to continue the burn ban that was issued last week. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson said, if the county receives the rain forecasted later this week, she said she would need to look at the conditions before considering whether to lift the burn ban. Receiving rain does not automatically lift a burn ban. And while Smith County is extending its burn ban, Cherokee County has been placed under a burn ban for 90 days. The county commissioners approved the ban at a called meeting Tuesday. It followed a 15 acre fire Monday near Alto. It threatened several structures. County Judge Chris Davis said the ban could be lifted before 90 days, but they would need a lot of rain for that to happen. Among the area counties that were already under burn bans were Gregg, Rusk, Henderson, Harrison and Van Zandt.

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has unveiled a set of proposals to reform the bail system in Texas to protect law enforcement and the public. The Governor calls it the Damon Allen Act. Allen was a state trooper who was shot and killed in Freestone County following a traffic stop last Thanksgiving. Arrested was Dabrett Black, 33, of Lindale. The governor said, despite his previous criminal record, Black was released on bond because the justice of the peace in his case was unaware of his prior convictions. The Governors new proposals hopes to close that loophole. In early March Black, who is charged with capital murder, pleaded not guilty. His next pre trial hearing is set for September 27th.

TYLER – Smith County has launched a new web site, which they say has more information and is more eye appealing. County officials have been working for about a year to redesign the website. Besides looking good, they wanted something with more information and was easy to navigate. The new website has large buttons that are clearly labeled with county departments and the offices of elected officials. The are online services that include making payments for court fees, traffic tickets, property taxes and vehicle registration. The new website also offers mobile and tablet-friendly versions. You can check it out at smith dash county dot com.

TYLER- There will be no tax hike for Tyler Junior College. Last week, trustees gave preliminary approval to a half-cent tax hike. But, after reviewing the latest information from the Smith County Appraisal District, school trustees at Tuesday’s meeting decided to to hold the current tax rate of just over 19 cents per $100 valuation. The appraisal district’s figures show that the increased residential homestead valuations will provide enough new revenue to TJC to allow them to maintain business operations for the year with the current tax rate. This means they plan to keep the same tax rate for the 6th year in a row. Continue reading TJC Will Maintain Current Tax Rate

PAYNE SPRINGS – Two persons have died in a one vehicle accident in Henderson County. The Department of Public Safety identified the dead Monday as Kenneth Adam Case, 20, and Alex Fiedler, 23, both of Mabank. The preliminary report said the pickup, driven by Case, was traveling at an unsafe speed. As he exited a curve, the vehicle went off of the road and into the grass. The driver over steered to the left causing the vehicle to enter a side skid, go back across the road, and into a ditch where it struck a tree. The truck then caught fire. The accident happened around 9:15 Sunday night on Quanah Drive in Payne Springs. The accident remains under investigation.

TYLER – For now, the name of Robert E Lee High School will remain. School board member Aaron Martinez made a motion for a name change, but there was no second so no vote was taken. And when there was no other motion, school trustees voted to end the meeting. For about 45 minutes prior to the motion, school trustees, individually, discussed the issue and their thoughts on it. Only Martinez and the board president, Rev. Fritz Hager, spoke in favor of bringing the name change issue to a vote. The issue could still come back before school trustees if one of the school board members requests the item be placed on the agenda for a future meeting.

TYLER – A Tyler man has been arrested on aggravated robbery charges. Joseph Glynn Sanders, 41, was arrested Sunday for the robbery of an individual. He is said to have approached a man and a woman on Houston Street early Saturday morning and forced the man, at gun point, to go with him. He is said to have taken him to another location, robbed him, then brought him back to Houston Street. He was arrested Sunday after an officer saw Sanders, and the woman from the first incident, arguing at 69 North and the Loop. He was arrested after the officer had to use mace to bring him under control. When arrested, officers found cocaine on him. He has been charged with aggravated robbery, possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest and resisting arrest. He remains in the Smith County jail.

TYLER – Keep Tyler Beautiful has handed out the First Quarter Beauty and Business Award. The award goes to the Genecov Group. It was nominated by the public and was selected by the Keep Tyler Beautiful board as the winner. Board members examine different aspects of the business. They look at everything from the property is inviting with the use and upkeep of greenery, the parking area is litter free, the store front has attractive signs and the building front is in good shape with clean paint or bricks. The winner of the award is presented a certificate and yard sign from the Keep Tyler Beautiful Board. Continue reading Tyler Business Wins Beautification Award

TYLER – There is a called meeting Tuesday morning at 10:00 of the Trustees of Tyler Junior College. The proposed tax rate is the only item on the agenda. Last Thursday, trustees approved a half-cent tax hike. It would bring the tax rate to just over 20 cents per $100 valuation. When the tax hike got preliminary approval, it was contingent upon further information from the Smith County Appraisal District. Now that the board has received the valuations it appears as if the board will update the proposal based upon those numbers. If the figures show a tax hike is still needed, It would be subject to approval at the trustee’s meeting later this month. Public hearings on the rate hike have been set for August 16 and 23.

GRAND SALINE — A historic cotton gin in East Texas is a total loss after a fire Sunday afternoon. Firefighters were called to the gin off State Highway 110 in Grand Saline, and when they got there, they found it consumed by flames. No one was inside at the time, and investigators are trying to figure out how the fire started. The cotton gin is a local landmark dating back to the 19th century.

KILGORE — Two East Texans will be back in court Monday in connection to the disappearance of a Kilgore woman. Allen Lamont Sutton, 28, and Laneshia Lashae Young, 22, both of Overton, were named in sealed indictments returned by the Rusk County Grand Jury. The two count indictments are for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence (human corpse), felony 2, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence Felony 3. Sheryia Grant was 8 months pregnant when she disappeared August 20th, 2016. Grant’s body has not been found. However, evidence uncovered during the investigation indicates she was murdered shortly after she was reported missing. Investigators say additional forensic evidence is still being evaluated and processed as the investigation is continuing.

TYLER – The high school name issue will be back before Tyler school trustees on Monday. The TISD school board has called a special meeting to consider changing the name of one or both of the high schools. If they decide on the name change, then they will begin the process to select a new name, or names. People on both sides of the issue discussed it at the last school board meeting. Monday’s meeting starts at 6:30pm at the Jack L. Davidson Conference Center on West Glenwood.

TYLER – Here’s a look at road work planned in the Tyler district of TxDOT during the week of August 6th. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.

Summer seal coat operations are winding down in the Tyler District. Motorists should expect lane closures and delays during this work to seal and protect roadways from water, and provide a longer life cycle. Because the time to complete work on each roadway is estimated, these schedules are subject to change. Striping and button installation operations will continue on various roadways for the next few weeks with little traffic disruption. Continue reading TxDOT Road Work Update

ELKHART – A one vehicle accident in Anderson County has left two persons dead and two injured. Dead at the scene were two back seat passengers who were unable to get out the car when it caught fire. There are identified as Luis Sardina, 17 and Javier Sardina, 14, both of Palestine. The driver, Miguel Morales-Ochoa, 17, of Palestine and the front seat passenger, Trina Bambeck, 18, of Palestine, were able to get out of the car. Bambeck is being treated at Palestine Regional Medical Center while Morales-Ocho is being treated at Christus Trinity Mother Francis Hospital in Tyler. The Department of Public Safety says their car left the roadway to the right and entered the west ditch in a side skid where it struck a tree causing it to flip and come to rest on its top. The accident happened at just before 1:00 Saturday morning on County Road 136, about half a mile west of Elkhart.

TYLER – The city of Tyler is conducting a survey to get community input on city planning. An independent consulting firm, ETC Institute, will randomly select households to participate in the survey and share their feedback. According to a city news release, the survey will establish priorities for #ItsTimeToBuildTyler: infrastructure, parks, recreation facilities, programs and services within the community. In 2006, the City completed its first survey to coincide with the adoption of the Tyler 21 Comprehensive Plan. Another survey was conducted in 2012 for the five-year update of the Plan. City completed another survey in 2015. This survey is intended to be the first part of the 2019 review of the Tyler 1st Comprehensive Plan.

TYLER – Graduates from three of TJC’s nursing and health sciences programs earned high marks in their recent licensing exams. In the TJC Vocational Nursing program, 93% of graduates passed their National Council Licensure Examination on the first try. The national average passing rate is 83%, and the state average is 87%. In the TJC Physical Therapist Assistant program, 100% of the recent graduating class passed their Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy exams on their initial attempt. The national average was an 85.7% pass rate on the initial attempt. Dental hygiene graduates must pass two board exams to receive their license. Recent TJC graduates had a 100% pass rate on the Western Regional clinical exam and a 97% pass rate on the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam.

LONGVIEW – The Gregg County grand jury has indicted a man in a Longview murder. Arrested in early May was Rodrick Deshun Arkeith Elliott, 20. He had earlier said to have been a resident of DeSoto. The jail log lists him as homeless. He was arrested for the stabbing death of Sandy Smith, 51. She was found bleeding at her home on East Grand Avenue. She later died at a Longview hospital. Elliott was later arrested with the help of the victim’s neighbors. He remains in the Gregg County Jail under a $500,000 bond.

TYLER – Officials with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler announced that Gerald R. Ledlow, Ph.D., MHA, FACHE, has been named permanent Dean of the School of Community and Rural Health. He has served as interim dean since last October. The school offers a master’s degree in public health, and will soon offer a master’s degree in health administration. Continue reading A New Dean at UT Health Science Center at Tyler

MARSHALL – Marshall police say they have foiled a murder for hire scheme with a woman’s arrest. She is Trisha George, 33, of Marshall. Detectives received a tip she was trying to hire someone to kill her husband. Marshall detectives reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division for assistance with the case. The police say, during the joint investigation, George paid an undercover officer to commit the crime. On Thursday, George was arrested and charged with capital murder while remuneration, which is murder for hire. She is currently in the Harrison County Jail under a one million dollar bond.

TYLER – Three Jacksonville men are heading to federal prison for drug trafficking violations. Carlos Brejohn Battle, 33, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In Tyler Thursday, he was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Battle was one of 8 persons indicted by a federal grand jury last October following a a federal investigation into wide-spread drug trafficking in East Texas. The 8 were charged with multiple drug trafficking and firearms related charges. Judge Clark sentenced two other Jacksonville men on Wednesday in connection with the case. Carlton Deshan Johnson, 28, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison and David Lee Williams, 32, was sentenced to 57 months.

FRANKSTON — A well-known Frankston restaurant is destroyed in an early Friday morning fire. Multiple fire departments were called to Glaspie Cattle Co. on Pine Street around 4:00 a.m. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is not yet known. Owner James Glaspie told our news partner KETK he opened the eatery in February of this year and it was insured. U.S. Highway 175’s westbound mainlanes were closed as crews worked to put out the fire and the cleanup that followed. The highway has been reopened.

TYLER — On Friday, Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran issued a burn ban due to rapidly increasing wildfire conditions. Moran issued the “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning” after receiving the recommendation from the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office and Office of Emergency Management. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson said in the previous two days, fire departments battled six fires burning about 35 acres in Smith County. On Thursday, the humidity dropped dangerously low and winds picked up, increasing the risk of wildfires. She said they are expecting the conditions to worsen over the weekend. Continue reading Burn Ban in Effect in Smith County

GREGG COUNTY — A burn ban has been issued for residents in Gregg County. The ban will be in effect until August 13, when the Commissioners Court meets, or if it’s rescinded. The ban prohibits outdoor burning of any kind (including trash in burn barrels) or the use of aerial fireworks. Officials enacted the burn ban because of extreme wildfire danger due to hot, dry conditions. In Texas, local governments are empowered to take action on the behalf of those they serve. When drought conditions exist, a burn ban can be put in place by a county judge or county commissioners court prohibiting or restricting outdoor burning for public safety.

TYLER – The subject of a high school name change will be back before school trustees on Monday. The TISD school board has called a special meeting to consider changing the name of one or both of the high schools. If they decide on the name change, then they will begin the process to select a new name, or names. People on both sides of the issue discussed it at the last school board meeting. Monday’s meeting starts at 6:30pm at the Jack L. Davidson Conference Center on West Glenwood.

LINDALE – An investigation by the Smith County Sheriff’s Department has turned up several gambling machines. Acting on a tip, undercover officers made several trips to the Oasis gas station on Highway 110 north in Lindale. on Thursday, officers served a search warrant at the station. They seized three gambling machines, miscellaneous paperwork and over $12,500. Sheriff’s department Sgt. Darrell Coslin said no arrests have been made at this time. The investigation is ongoing and criminal charges may be filed when the investigation is completed.

TYLER – Highway 64 East, in the vicinity of Big Oak Bay Road east of Tyler, has been reopened after being shut down by a large grass and pasture fire. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson said hay raking equipment started the fire that quickly spread to about 10 to 15 acres. Two barns and a shed burned but the firefighters were able to save five structures in the area. The fire was brought under control by 3:40 Thursday afternoon. At one time, a total of 8 fire departments were on the scene, battling the large fire.

TYLER – An Athens man has been sentenced to prison for the unlawful possession of ricin. Abel Keith Fulton, 20, pleaded guilty back in March. He has now been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder in Tyler. He was also ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution for costs incurred by law enforcement officials in connection with the removal of the hazardous materials and decontamination of his residence. Prosecutors say he possessed the drug at his home in August and September of 2016. Ricin is a biological toxin that can be fatal if ingested, inhaled, or injected. There is no known antidote or cure for ricin poisoning. He is said to have made the toxin using supplies that he purchased online.